Healthy Monday: Get Thrifty With Your Fitness

monday

From our friends at the Monday Campaigns:

Exercise equipment can be expensive, cumbersome, and bulky, which is why it often ends up covered in cobwebs rather than sweat. But you don’t need a  treadmill, weights or a squat rack to build muscle at home; with a little creativity, you can fashion a number of household items into fitness gear.

If you want to recreate the feeling of free weights, look no further than your kitchen or pantry. Cans of soups or beans typically weigh 1 – 2 pounds. They are also the right shape to fit snuggly in the palm of your hand, making them perfect for bicep curls and tricep extensions. The next door to explore is that of your refrigerator. A gallon of liquid (juice, milk, water, etc.) weighs approximately 8 – 9 pounds.  These bottles are easy to grip, which is why they’re useful for exercises that engage a number of muscle groups like body squats, lunges, or shoulder presses.

Visit our blog to learn what kitchen items you can use for a great core workout!

Move It Monday: Free Workouts at Home

free-workouts

You may also just want to take walk. Come by Decatur Recreation Center and walk or run on our elevated track. It’s free too!

For more information visit http://www.moveitmonday.org/8-cheap-ways-exercise/

 

 

 

 

Team Decatur Wants YOU!

team-decatur-2015-shirt-frontIt is NOT too late to register for the KP Corporate Run/Walk 5k so you can be part of Team Decatur!

Here is an EASY way to get right to the registration: https://runsignup.com/CorporateTeams/decaturrunskp.

We will have our Team Photo made around 6 pm the day of the race, and after the race we will gather in our Team Tent for catering from Zest, beverages courtesy of UJoint and Oakhurst Market and FUN!

Don’t miss out. For more info click here.

Healthy Monday: Sweat Your Stress Away

logo-healthy_mondayThe rush of anxiety and pent-up energy that can result from stress is part of your body’s natural defense mechanisms. While the desire to fight or flee is helpful in emergencies, too much of this tension can negatively impact your health. Instead of bottling it up, get it out with exercise!

Releasing excess energy with physical activity is a healthy way to alleviate built-up muscle tension and other symptoms.

This week, after a tightly scheduled day of meetings, exams, or errands, get active and aim for moderate intensity exercise. It may seem counterintuitive, but moving more will help you relax!

For more tips from Monday Campaigns click here.

Spring Wellness Fair April 15th

2013 Spring Wellness Flyer

Healthy Living Tips From Let’s Move

Let’s Move.gov sends monthly tips for fitness and health:

GET ACTIVE TIP OF THE WEEK

When adults participate in and enjoy physical activity, kids see that being active isn’t something you just have to do – it’s fun! Try having fun and being active by making it a family adventure. Go for a bike ride, hike at a nearby park, or let your kids make up their own game to play in your backyard.

EAT HEALTHY TIP OF THE WEEK

Now is the perfect time to go apple picking! Look for an orchard near you or take your kids to your local farmers market to taste test some apples. There are so many different types and varieties of apples, your kids are bound to like at least one (and probably several).

BLOG HIGHLIGHTS

Feeding your family nutritious meals under a tight budget doesn’t have to be a struggle. Take a look at these 10 tips to help stretch your food dollars and make providing healthy meals for your family easier.

Healthy Monday: Fitness Can Be Free

You don’t need an expensive gym membership or fancy equipment to get active. Exercise is any movement that works your muscles and uses more energy than resting. Try walking around your neighborhood, playing tag with the kids, using resistance bands, running up and down the stairs, making your own weights at home or doing push ups and sit ups.
 
Come up with some creative, free fitness ideas this week. Remember that playing sports, swimming, biking and other fun activities all count as exercise! 

For more Healthy Monday tips, click here.

Casting Call: Want to be on Television?

From Olympian Jeff Galloway:

Jeff is now taking his training program to television! We are shooting a pilot program February 28 – 29, 2012 and are looking for a few Atlanta area runners/walkers to be a part of this exciting new adventure taking place at Lake Lanier Islands Resort.  If you are available these two dates (the entire two days) please send in information on why you would like to and possibly need to work with Jeff.  We are asking for a few things from you to help us pick our runners:

1) Why you run or would like to begin running
2) How frequent and far are your run/walks
3) What challenges have you faced recently
4) What are your fitness/health/life goals
5) Confirmation that you are 100% available
6) Recent picture

We ask that you allow the camera crew one or two follow-up visits to your home or recreation location after this primary shoot is over to check on your progress.  There will be no compensation for your participation but you will receive one night of accommodations at Lake Lanier Islands Resort if you choose to stay there.  Food and beverage will also be provided.  We will be looking at runners of all ages and abilities.

If you are interested, please send your response to Born2runtv@gmail.com.

If you are chosen, we will contact you by February 1, 2012. Thank you!
  

-Jeff Galloway Productions

Recycle Your Resolutions

{Form} yoga studio in Decatur  invites the community to a New Year kick-off event this Saturday, January 7th. Doors open at 9am and the $12 yoga class will begin at 10am. Meet the teachers, see the space, exchange your old resolutions for chances to win gift certificates and have fun! All levels and  ages are invited. {Form} is located at 508 East Howard Avenue between the Ice House Lofts and Feast Restaurant.

This  grand opening and studio kick off  event has the theme of “Recycling Your Resolutions”. There is a tendency to make the same New Years Resolutions year in and year out and so they are encouraging people to exchange the old for something new with the focus on self-care and healthy living. For more information  click here.

Walking for Fitness

The New Year is the time when many people make a commitment to healthier living. Both diet and exercise are a part of that commitment. Decatur Active Living is going to make a commitment to help. Today begins a series of walking tips to help you get off on the right foot (yes, pun intended).

Taking a Fitness  Walk
Find your neutral posture, with your head and chin level and your shoulders down and relaxed, looking forward. Keep your chest open and breathe naturally. Bend your elbows at 90 degrees and hold your hands in relaxed fists with your palms facing in and your arms pumping forward and back to assist leg action. Be sure to pull in your abdominal muscles slightly to support the lower back. While walking, keep at a pace moderate enough that you can still talk but not easily carry on a conversation. Break a  sweat. (Yes, even in cold weather you will break a sweat). Your pace should equal about 4 miles an hour, about 140 steps per minute. And most important, keep a smile and your face and enjoy!

Be sure to check with your physican before starting any exercise program.

Walking tips are taken from The Walking Deck, by Shirley Archer and published by Archer Books.